Tarpaulin grey vs Iron Ore
Where Tarpaulin grey belongs to RAL Classic's range, Iron Ore is a Sherwin-Williams color. These are both greys, so the question isn't which hue to choose — it's where within grey to land. Tarpaulin grey (LRV 13) reflects noticeably more light than Iron Ore (LRV 6), a difference of 7 points that becomes especially apparent in rooms with limited natural light. With a ΔE of 10.6, the contrast is hard to miss. These aren't variations on a theme — they're two different answers to the same question. Below you'll find 2 real-room photo comparisons where both colors appear side by side, plus 5 simulated room previews.
Tarpaulin grey vs Iron Ore in Real Spaces
2 real rooms side by side. Seeing Tarpaulin grey and Iron Ore in actual rooms makes the difference concrete; browse the spaces below to get a feel for how each color lives on a wall.
House
Seen across an entire facade, subtle tonal differences become pronounced. What reads as nearly the same on a chip often reads as clearly different at scale. Tarpaulin grey reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are constantly compared against adjacent materials, which means subtle differences between these two become much more visible. Tarpaulin grey reads slightly lighter here — a subtle but real difference in how open the space feels.
Color Details
Tarpaulin grey vs Iron Ore Simulated Comparison
5 simulated room previews — drag the slider on each to see Tarpaulin grey on one side and Iron Ore on the other.
Digital color is approximate. These simulations are generated from the manufacturer's hex values and overlaid on grayscale room photos — your screen's calibration, brightness, and viewing angle all affect how they render. Before committing to either color, test physical samples in your own space under the light you actually live with.
More Tarpaulin grey comparisons
See how Tarpaulin grey stacks up against other well-photographed colors across different brands and tones.
